Jean-Pierre Mocky is a little known director even among cinéastes. In all of his films one can find unique, bizarre characters, mostly appearing like the people next door, but in truth eccentric men and women, some even homicidal maniacs.
Mocky acted in Michelangelo Antonioni's I VINTI before turning to directing himself. He has worked with great French actors Bourvil and Michel Serrault, the latter always giving stunning performances, such as in L'IBIS ROUGE and A MORT L'ARBITRE.
Mocky's humor is not for all tastes, it is generally anarchical and black. If you like one comedy, you'll like them all. Try L'IBIS ROUGE for a start!
Filmography:
Les Casse-Pieds (1948; act)
Dieu a Besoin des Hommes (1950; act; aka God Needs Men, Isle of Sinners)
Deux sous de Violettes (1951; act)
Comte de Monte-Christo (1953; act)
I Vinti (1953; act)
Maternité Clandestine (1953; act)
Le Grand Pavois (1954; act)
Gli Sbandati (1955; act)
La Rouge est Mis (1957; act)
La Tête Contre les Murs (1958; coscr, act; based on a novel by Hervé Bazin)
Le Gorille Vous Salue Bien (1958; act)
Les Dragueurs (1959; dir, coscr)
Un Couple (1961; dir, scr)
Snobs (1962; dir)
Les Vierges (1963; dir, scr)
Un Drole de Paroissien (1963; dir, coscr, act; based on Deo Gratias, a novel by Michel Sevin)
La Grande Frousse (1964; dir, scr; based on a novel by Jean Rory)
Les Compagnons de Marguérite (1966; dir, coscr)
La Bourse et la Vie (1966; dir, costy)
La Grande Lessive (1968; dir, coscr)
L'Étalon (1969; dir, scr)
I Diavoli della Guerra (1969; coscr?)
Solo (1970; dir, scr, act)
L'Albatros (1971; dir, coscr, act)
Chut! (1972; dir)
Un Linceul N'A Pas de Poche (1974; dir)
L'Ombre d'une Chance (1974; dir)
L'Ibis Rouge (1975; dir, coscr; based on a novel by Frederic Brown)
Le Roi des Bricoleurs (1977; dir)
Le Témoin (1978; dir, coscr; based on a novel by Harrison Judd)
Le Piège à Cons (1979; dir)
Y a-t-il un Francais dans la Salle (1982; dir)
Litan (1982; dir, act)
A Mort l'Arbitre! (1983; dir, coscr, coedit; based on a novel by Alfred Drape)
Grandeur et Décadence d'un Petit Commerce de Cinéma (1984; act)
Le Pactole (1985; dir, coscr)
Le Miraculé (1986; dir, coscr, coedit)
La Machine à Decoudre (1986; dir, act)
Agent Trouble (1987; dir, scr, edit; based on a novel by Malcolm Bosse)
Une Nuit à l'Assemblée Nationale (1988; dir)
Les Saisons du Plaisir (1988; dir, scr, coedit)
Divine Enfant (1989; dir)
Ville à Vendre (1992; dir)
Le Mari de Léon (1993; dir, scr, act)
Bonsoir (1994; dir, scr, edit)
Noir Comme le Souvenir (1995; dir, scr)
Alliance Cherche Doigt (1997; dir, scr)
Robin des Mers (1998; dir, scr, edit, act)
Vidange (1998; dir, scr, edit, act)
© Ron Altman (last update 10/11/02)